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Monday, December 28, 2015

Cleveland Steele Part 2

Getting back to my previous post, the team at Scott were really helpful in getting my rod back to me in time for the day my buddies and I were set to spend on the Chagrin River.

Since getting it back, I've been able to spend two days out there: one being the first trip and the second just a morning on my own.

The first trip was great. Our guide Bob met us in a Little League complex parking lot alongside the river and set Chris and Tom up - waders, boots, rods, etc. Chris had gotten Tom this trip as a birthday present and they were both coming out for their first fly fishing experience and were kind enough to let me tag along.

Bob, Chris, Tom, and I made our way from the ball fields to a side street and down to the river to get our lines wet. The temps and water levels were both low and the bite overall was really slow. Tom landed his first fish on the fly ever - and a nice specimen at that - and that was pretty much how the day went. One fish between the three of us and not much action at all.

Tom on the bite

Bob and Tom after Tom landed his first fish on the fly and the only fish of the trip

Not discouraged though, I went back out when the temps warmed up a bit - the same weekend Dr. Steelegood and Clark had their day. The results were much more promising. The spot I originally wanted to plant myself was where Tom, Chris, and I first went; but there were three guys and two dogs headed there just as I got to the parking lot. So I audibled and hiked a little bit downriver to another pool.

After the sun rose, I spent about an hour in one pool, not having much success. Changed to a white woolly bugger pattern with a multicolored egg pattern trailing behind and moved to a spot that had just cleared out. Spent about 30 minutes here and finally got a fish on...and I'm still not sure what it was - definitely not a trout.

So I keep throwing this pattern out for about 10 more minutes and FINALLY I realize what I'd been missing out on for all these years. Landed a nice-sized bit o' Cleveland Steele:

Moved along up the river to a small set of rapids where I lost one fiddling around trying to get to a spot where I could safely land it. But all in all, I was stoked on the day's results.

Planning to go back out one day this week as the water levels are rising due to some out of season rain and warm temps. Will report back with some updates.